Shohei Ohtani was hit on his right thigh by a 93.7 mph comebacker during a game between the LA Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday at Coors Field. The incident occurred in the fourth inning when shortstop Orlando Arcia lined the ball directly at Ohtani, who was pitching at the time.
Despite the impact, Ohtani attempted to field the ball and throw to first base but had to limp away briefly. Dodgers medical staff quickly attended to him, but Ohtani remained in the game and finished the inning, eventually completing a four-inning start.
Ohtani’s Performance and Injury Update
In his four innings on the mound, Ohtani allowed five earned runs on nine hits and struck out three batters. He came up to bat in the fifth inning, during which he drew a walk before being replaced by pinch hitter Alex Call. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Ohtani sustained a right thigh contusion from the hit but stated it would not require any imaging.
Ohtani is scheduled to rest on Thursday’s game against the Rockies and plans to return for the series opener against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Friday.
Rockies Take Control as Dodgers Fall 8-3
The game started promisingly with Ohtani hitting a leadoff double off Tanner Gordon, the Rockies’ starting pitcher. However, the Rockies quickly regained momentum, completing a double play in the inning and putting pressure on Ohtani’s pitching in the second and third innings.
During the second inning, Brenton Doyle hit an RBI double, followed by Orlando Arcia’s sacrifice fly that brought in another run. Shortly after Ohtani was struck by the comebacker, Tyler Freeman hit an RBI single, increasing Colorado’s lead to 5-0.
The Dodgers managed a response in the sixth when Teoscar Hernandez hit a solo home run. Nevertheless, the Rockies added to their tally with Hunter Goodman’s RBI single in the same inning and further runs driven in by Goodman’s double in the eighth.
Miguel Rojas contributed two runs for the Dodgers with a double in the ninth, but the Rockies held on to defeat the Dodgers 8-3.
Implications of the Injury and Upcoming Schedule
Shohei Ohtani’s thigh injury, though painful, does not appear severe enough to keep him sidelined beyond a brief rest. The Dodgers’ decision to give him a day off indicates caution in managing their $700 million superstar’s health. Returning against the Padres on Friday will be a critical step in the Dodgers’ efforts to maintain pitching stability moving forward.